Colonial Architecture of Antigua Guatemala

SIDNEY DAVID MARKMAN

COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE OF ANTIGUA GUATEMALA

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INDEPENDENCE SQUARE · PHILADELPHIA · MCMLXVI CONTENTS

PAGE Introduction l

Part l. History of Antigua, Materials and Methods of Construction l. The History of Antigua Guatemala II r. The Founding of the City rr 2. The Sixteenth-Century City l l 3. The Seventeenth-Century City 12 l. 4. The Eighteenth-Century City l 5 5. The Nineteenth-Century City and the Moving of the Capital after 1773 18

11. Materials of Construction 21

r. Wood 21 2. Thatch and Wattle and Daub 22 3. Stabilized Earth: Adobe and Tamped Earth 24 4. Architectural Character of Sixteenth-Century Buildings 25 5. Brick Piers with Tamped Earth Walls 26 6. Masonry Materials: Brick, Stone, and Lime Mortar 27

111. Methóds of Construction 31

r. Foundations 32 2. Walls 32 3. Plastering and Wall Finishing 33 4. Wood and Tile Roofs 35 5. Vaults and Domes 36 6. Drawings and Architects' Handbooks 39 7. Earthquake Resistance 41 8. Rebuilding, Restoration, Use of Second-hand Materials, Afterlife of Colonial Building Methods 42

IV. Labor and the Building Trades 44

lX X COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE OF ANTIGUA GUATEMALA

PAGE V. Architects 52

VI. Brief Notices of Architects, Maestros de Obras and other Building-trade Craftsmen 56

VII. Building Activity 65

Part II. The Antiguan Style: Analysis ofElements

VIII. Plans 71 r. Church Plans 71 2. Convent Plans 73 3. Arcaded Cloisters and Fac;:ades 74

IX. Retable-fac;:ades 76

X. Fac;:ade Treatment 79

l. Pilasters and Engaged Columns 79 i. Tuscan and Ionic 79 ii. Solomonic Columns 79 iii. Invented or Free Forms 79 a. Corrugated Shafts 80 b. Pot-form Pilaster Shafts 80 c. Multiple Strip Shafts 80 d. Multiple Colonnette Shafts 81 e. Candelabra Shafts 81 f. Superimposed S-curves or Lyre-form Shafts 81 g. Pilasters from the Towers of La Merced 81 2. Door Openings 8 l i. Semicircular Door in Concentric Niche 8 l ii. Semicircular Door in Niche with Semicircular Stilted Arch 81 iii. Mixtilinear Niche Headers with Semicircular Doors 8 l iv. Trumpet-shaped Door Niche, Abocinado 82 v. Rectilinear Shallow Door Niche 82 3. Niches 82 4. Niche-windows 82 5. Entablatures 83 6. Plaster Decoration and Omament 83 CONTENTS Xl

PAGE XI. The Antiguan Style 85

r. Introductory Observations 85 2. The Four Periods of the Antiguan Style 86 3. Terminology and Stylistic Connections 86

Part III. The Monuments of Antigua: Historical and Architectural Data, Chronological Synthesis of the Style

XII. The First Period: The Seventeenth Century to 1680 95 r. Santa Catalina: Church and Convent, 1626 and 1647 96 2. Nuestra Señora de los Remedios: Church, ca. 1650 and 1687 99 3. San Agustín: Church and Convent, 1657 and ca. 1761 ro2 4. San Pedro: Hospital and Church, 1662, 1675, and 1869 ros 5. Belén: Church and Convent, 1670 ro7 6. Beaterio de Belén, 1670; Santuario de Guadalupe, 1874 ro9 7. San Cristóbal el Bajo: Church, Seventeenth Century IIO 8. Cathedral, 1680 II2

XIII. The Second Period: 1680-1717 II7 r. San Francisco: Church and Convent, 1675, 1690, and 1702 II8 2. La Merced: Church and Convent, ca. 1650-1690, 1767 126 3. Santa Teresa: Church and Convent, 1687 and after 1738 139 4. San Sebastián: Church, 1692 142 5. Compañía de Jesús: Church, Convent, and School, 1698 144 6. Fountains and Public Water Supply 146 i. Pila de la Alameda del Calvario, also known as Pila del Campo, 1679 146 ii. Fuente de las Delicias, Seventeenth Century 14 7 iii. Fuente de los Dominicos, 1618 (?) 147 iv. Fountain near the Convent of La Merced, Seventeenth Century 148 7. Espíritu Santo: Herrnitage, after 1702 ,r 149 8. Nuestra Señora de los Dolores del Cerro: Herrnitage, l7IO 150 9. Palacio Arzobispal, l7II . 151 ro. La Recolección: Church and Convent, 1717 153

XIV. The Third Period: 1717-1751 156 r. El Calvario: Church and Gatehouse, 1720 157 2. El Carmen: Church, 1728 161 Xll COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE OF ANTIGUA GUATEMALA

PAGE 3. La Candelaria: Church, Late Seventeenth and Early Eighteenth Centuries 164 4. La Concepción: Church and Convent, 1694 and ca. 1729 166 5. Santa Cruz: Church, 1662 and 1731 167 6. Santa Clara: Church and Convent, 1734 172 7. Las Capuchinas: Church and Convent, 1736 176 8. Ayuntamiento, 1743 180 9. Escuela de Cristo: Church and Convent, after 1720 and after 1740 183 10. San José el Viejo: Church, 1740 and 1761 185 11. Santa Rosa de Lima: Church, ca. 1750 188

XV. The Fourth Period: 1751-1773 191

I. Santa Ana: Church, Mid-eighteenth Century 191 2. Santa Isabel: Church, Mid-eighteenth Century 193 3. San Jerónimo: Church and School, Late Seventeenth Century, 1759 and after 1765 195 4. Seminario Tridentino, ca. 1758 197 5. University of San Carlos, ca. 1763 and Later 198 6. Capitarúa. Palacio de los Capitanes Generales, 1769 203 7. Santísima Trinidad: Chapel, Late Eighteenth Century 206 8. Jocotenango: Church and Capilla de la Virgen, Seventeenth Century and Eighteenth Century 206

XVI. Nonexistent Structures, Structures ofNondescript Character, and Structures Rebuilt in Postcolonial Times 209

I. Beaterio de fo.dias del Rosario, 1762 and 1771 209 2. Benditas Ánimas: Hermitage, 1702 and earlier 209 3. Capillas de los Pasos, 1691 and 1942 , 209 4. Cruz de Piedra, 1753 210 5. San Lázaro: Church, 1734 210 6. Santa Cruz del Milagro: Church, after 1731 210 7. Santa Lucía: Church, Sixteenth Century, 1695, and Eighteenth Century 210 8. Santo Domingo: Church and Convent, Seventeenth Century 2II

Bibliography and Abbreviations 213

Catalogue of Documents Cited in the Text from the Archivo General del Gobierno de Guatemala 219

Index 331 ILLUSTRATIONS

FIG. PAGE FIG. PAGE r. Typical Antiguan vaults and domes. 38 2r. Antigua. Plaza Mayor with the Ayunta

2. N onarchitectonic pilas ter shafts. 80 miento on the north side. 231 3. Plan of Santa Catalina, 1626, as described by 22. Santa Catalina, 1625 and 1647. Church. East Francisco de Hernández de Fuentes. 96 side. 232 4. Belén. Plan. 109 23. Santa Catalina. Church. South door. 232 5. La Merced. Church piers. 131 24. Los Remedios, ca. 1650 and after 1679. Plan. 233 6. La Merced. Vaulting, cloister corridors. 137 25. Los Remedios. West fac;:ade. 233 7. La Merced. Cloister columns. 138 26. Los Remedios. W est fac;:ade. Detail, central 8. San Sebastián. Proportions of retable-fac;:ade. 143 reta ble. 234 9. El Calvario, 1619. Gatehouse as described by 27. Los Remedios. West fac;:ade. Detail, niche, Vásquez. 158 north side bay, lower story. 234 IO. Fluting: El Calvario and Escuela de Cristo. 160 28. San Agustín, 1657 and ca. l76r. Plan. 235 l l. Escuela de Cristo. Cross section of cloister 29. San Agustín. W est fac;:ade. Detail, lower column shafts. 185 story. 235 12. Map of Central America. (Reino de 30. San Agustín. West fac;:ade. 236 Guatemala.) 227 3 l. San Agustín. W est fac;:ade. Detail, niche, 13. Map of Guatemala. 227 south bay, lower story. 236 14. Air view of the Pacific Coast of Guatemala 32. San Pedro, 1662, 1675, and 1869. Church extending from volcanoes Agua, Acatenango, fac;:ade and hospital entrance. 237 and Fuego to the Mexican border. 228 33. San Pedro. Church fac;:ade. 238 15. Plan of Antigua. 228 34. San Pedro. Hospital entrance. 238 16. Antigua, ca. 1876, with Volcán de Agua to south. 229 35. Belén, 1670. West fac;:ade. 239 17. Antigua, ca. 1876, with volcanoes of Fuego 36. Belén. West fac;:ade. South tower. Detail, and Acatenango to southwest. 229 window, lower story. 239 18 . Antigua. View of Volcán de Agua through 37. Santuario de Guadalupe, 1874. North fac;:ade. 240 arch of Santa Catalina. 230 38. San Cristóbal el Bajo, seventeenth century. 19. Antigua. Plaza Mayor, ca. 1840. Drawn by W est fac;:ade and north side. 241 Catherwood. 230 39. San Cristóbal el Bajo. W est fac;:ade. Detail, 20. Antigua. Plaza Mayor, 1963. 231 door. 241

X111 XlV COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE OF ANTIGUA GUATEMALA

FIG. PAGE FIG. PAGE 40. Cathedral, 1680. Plan, including Palacio 63. La Merced. Cloister. Detail, south arcade. 254 Arzobispal. 64. La Merced. W est fac;:ade. Roofs of tower 4r. Cathedral. Drawing of fac¡:ade. belfries were rebuilt about 1960. 255 42. Cathedral. W est fac;:ade. 243 65. La Merced. W est fac;:ade. D etail, central 43. Cathedral. West fac;:ade. D etail, door, reta ble. 256 central bay. 244 66. La Merced. W est fac¡:ade. Detail, south 44. Cathedral. South side. Detail, door to side tower. 257 aisle and nave. 244 67. La Merced. West fac;:ade. Central retable. 45. Cathedral. Nave, looking toward east. 245 Detail, plaster decoration, upper side bay. 257 46. Cathedral. Nave. Detail, pier. 245 68. La Merced. West fac¡:ade. Central retable. 47. Cathedral. Nave. Pier. Detail, pilaster capital Detail, niche-window, central bay, second and entablature. 246 story. 258 48. Cathedral. Crossing. Detail, southeast 69. La Merced. W est fac;:ade. Central retable. pendenti ve. 246 Detail, niche, south bay, lower story. 258 49. Cathedral. Crossing. D etail, pendentives with 70. La Merced. N orth side. Detail, north side sculptures and reliefs in plaster. 247 aisle roof with small domes and lantems. 259 50. Cathedral. Choir. Detail, window piercing 7r. La Merced. Cupola over crossing. 259 west fac¡:ade. 24 7 72. La Merced. West fac;:ade. North tower. 5r. San Francisco, 1675, 1690, and 1702. Plan. 248 Detail, nonarchitectonic pilasters on south 52. San Francisco. W est entrance to convent side above nave roof. 260 grounds and church atrium. 248 73. La Merced. Convent entrance, north church 5 3. San Francisco. W est fac;:ade. 249 tower, and atrium with stone cross. 260 54. San Francisco. W est fac;:ade. Detail, upper 74. La Merced. Convent entrance. Detail, door. 261 story of central retable. 250 75. La Merced. Cloister. South arcade, interior 55. San Francisco. N ave. Detail, pilaster capitals showing semihexagonal vault. 261 and entablature. 250 ~ 76. Santa T eresa, 1687 and after 1738. West 56. San Francisco. N ave, looking toward east. fac;:ade. 262 57. San Francisco. Crossing. Detail, pilasters, 77. Santa Teresa. N ave. Detail, pilaster with southeast comer. springing of arches. 262 58. San Francisco. Lower choir. Detail, 78. Santa Teresa. Cloister. Detail, southwest pilasters. angle. 262 59. San Francisco. Entrance room to convent. 79. San Sebastián, 1692. West fac;:ade. Plan and D etail, mural paintings. 252 elevation. 263 60. San Francisco. Nave. Detail, clerestory 80. San Sebastián. W est fac¡:ade. Detail, upper window. 253 story. 263 6r. San Francisco. Choir. Detail, plaster decora- 8r. San Sebastián. W est fac;:ade. 264 tion, spandrel of arch facing nave. 253 82. San Sebastián. W est fac;:ade. Detail, niche, 62. La Merced, ca. 1650-70 and 1767. Plan. 25 4 south bay, lower story. 264 ILLUSTRATIONS XV

FIG. PAGE FIG. PAGE 83. Compañía de Jesús, 1698. East fac;:ade, rn5. La Recolección, 1717. Plan. 276 reconstruction. 265 rn6. La Recolección. Ruins of church, ca. 1876. 276 84. Compañía de Jesús. East fac;:ade. Detail, rn7. La Recolección. East fac;:ade. Detail, center upper story, and south side. 265 door. 277 85. Compañía de Jesús. East fac;:ade. Detail, rn8. La Recolección. Nave. Detail, pilasters and archivolt and lunette of main door. 266 arch of crossing. 277 86. Compañía de Jesús. Nave, looking west. 266 rn9. La Recolección. Nave. Detail, entablature 87. Compañía de Jesús. Crossing. Detail, and clerestory. 277 southwest pilaster. 266 no. El Calvario, 1720. Gatehouse. North 88. Pila de la Alameda del Calvario, 1679. 267 fac;:ade. 278

89. Pila de la Alameda del Calvario. Plan and II I. El Calvario. Gatehouse. Plan. 279 268 elevation. l 12. El Calvario. Gatehouse. South side. 279 90. Pila de la Alameda del Calvario. Detail, n3. El Calvario. Gatehouse. North fac;:ade. 268 bowl. Detail, west hay. 280 9r. Fuente de las Delicias, seventeenth century. 269 n4. El Calvario. Gatehouse. Detail, interior, 92. Fuente de los Dominicos, 1618 (?). 269 pilasters. 280 93. Fuente de los Dominicos. Detail, basin, II5. El Calvario. Church. North fac;:ade. 281 showing Dominican blazon. 270 n6. El Carmen, 1728. Plan. 94. Fuente de los Dominicos. Detail, bowl. 270 n7. El Carmen. East fac;:ade and south side, 95. Fountain near La Merced, seventeenth ca. 1876. century. 271 n8. El Carmen. East fac;:ade. 283 96. Fountain near La Merced. Detail, basin n9. El Carmen. Nave. Detail, pilasters, entabla- showing mermaids. 271 ture, and clerestory. 283 97. Fountain near La Merced. Detail, stem and 120. El Carmen. East fac;:ade. Detail, upper bowl. 272 story. 284 98. Fountain near La Merced. Detail, basin, l2I. El Carmen. East fac;:ade. Detail, archivolt of showing nude male figure. door. 284 99. Espíritu Santo, after 1702. West fac;:ade. 122. La Candelaria, late seventeenth and early Detail, central and south bays. 273 eighteenth centuries. W est fac;:ade, church rno. Nuestra Señora de los Dolores del Cerro, and chapel (?). 285 l7IO. West fac;:ade. 273 123. La Candelaria. Chapel (?). West fac;:ade. IOI. Nuestra Señora de los Dolores del Cerro. Detail, door header. 285 Capilla mayor. Detail, vaulting. 274 124. La Candelaria. Chapel (?). West fac;:ade. I02. Palacio Arzobispal, l7lI. Cloister. Detail, Detail, door. 286 east corridor. 274 125. La Candelaria. Church. West fac;:ade. rn3. Palacio Arzobispal. Cloister. Detail, column Detail, engaged columns and niche, south with painted decoration. 275 side hay. 286 rn4. Palacio Arzobispal. West side. Detail, doors. 275 126. La Concepción, 1694. Convent entrance. 287 XVI COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE OF ANTIGUA GUATEMALA

FIG. PAGB FIG. PAGE 127. La Concepción. Church. Detail, north side 150. Las Capuchinas. Cloister. Detail, comer pier showing buttresses. 287 with responds. 298 128. La Concepción. Convent entrance. Detail, 15!. Las Capuchinas. Plan. Detail of cloister. 299 upper part. 288 152. Las Capuchinas. Cloister. Detail, southwest 129. La Concepción. Church. Nave, looking angle. 299 west. 289 153· Las Capuchinas. Cloister. Detail, north 130. La Concepción. Church. Nave. Detail, corridor. 300 entablature. 289 154· Las Capuchinas. Circular building for nov- 13!. Santa Cruz, 1662 and 173!. Plan. 290 ices. Detail, patio and cells of upper story. 300 l 32. Santa Cruz. W est fac;:ade. 290 155· Ayuntamiento, 1743. Plan and elevation of l 33. Santa Cruz. W est fac;:ade. Detail, south side arcaded south fac;:a.de. 301 hay, lower story. 291 156. Ayw1tamiento. South fac;:ade. 301 134· Santa Cruz. Nave and choir, looking west. 291 157· Ayuntamiento. South fac;:ade. Detail of arcades. 302 l 3 5. Santa Cruz. W est fac;:ade. Detail, showing plaster decoration. 292 158. Ayuntamiento. South fac;:ade. Detail, east 136. Santa Cruz. West fac;:ade. Detail, door comer pier with respond. 302 jamb and base of engaged column. 292 159· Ayuntamiento. South fac;:ade. Lower 137· Santa Cruz. West fac;:ade. Detail, archivolt corridor. 303 of door and engaged column of south side 160. Ayuntamiento. South fac;:ade. Detail, hay. 293 column, lower corridor. 303 138. Santa Cruz. Choir. Detail, pilaster and l6I. Escuela de Cristo. After 1720 and after door to sacristy. 293 1740. W est fac;:ade and convent entrance. 304 . 139· Santa Cruz. Crossing. Detail, pendentives. 293 162. Escuela de Cristo. Cloister. Detail, south 140. Santa Clara, 1734· South fac;:ade. Detail, east corridor, lower story. Restored in 1957· side hay, lower story. 294 163. Escuela de Cristo. West fac;:ade. Detail, 141. Santa Clara. W est side. Detail, door. 294 north side hay, lower story. 142. Santa Clara. Nave. East wall. Detail, 164. Escuela de Cristo. Convent. Entrance. Detail, door and pilasters. pilasters and clerestory. 295 143· Santa Clara. Cloister. Detail, arcade, south- 165. Escuela de Cristo. Cloister and church. 306 east angle. 295 166. Escuela de Cristo. Cloister. Detail, col umns, north corridor, upper story, befare 144· Santa Clara. Cloister, northeast angle. 295 restoration. 306 145· Las Capuchinas, 1736. Plan. 296 167. San José el Viejo, 1740 and l76r. Plan. 307 146. Las Capuchinas. East fac;:ade and south side. 296 168. San José el Viejo. East fac;:ade. 307 147· Las Capuchinas. Nave. Detail, vaulting and 169. San José el Viejo. East fac;:ade. Detail, clerestory. 297 engaged columns and niche, north side hay, 148. Las Capuchinas. Nave and crossing. Detail, lower story. 308 vaulting. 297 170. San José el Viejo. East fac;:ade. North tower. 149· Las Capuchinas. Nave. Detail, pilasters. 298 Detail entablature and belfry. 308 ILL U S TRATI O NS XVll fIG. PAGE fIG. PAGE 171. Santa Rosa de Lima, ca. 175º· W est fac;:ade. 309 191. University of San Carlos. Exterior. Detail, 172. Santa Rosa de Lima. West fac;:ade. Detail, northeast comer. 319 niche-window in upper story central bay 192. University of San Carlos. Cloister. Detail, and third story remate. 3 ro east corridor. 320 173· Santa Rosa de Lima. West fac;:ade. Detail, 193· University of San Carlos. Cloister. 320 north side bay, lower story. 310 194· University of San Carlos. Cloister. Detail, 174· Santa Rosa de Lima. Nave. Detail, pen- southeast angle. 321 dentive and vaulting. 3II 195· University of San Carlos. Cloister. W est 175· Santa Rosa de Lima. Nave. Detail, soflit of transverse arch, pendentive, and pilaster side. Detail, papal coat-of-arms. 321 entablature. 3 l l 196. University of San Carlos. Cloister. South 176. Santa Ana, mid-eighteenth century. West side. Detail, entablature and royal coat-of- fac;:ade. 312 arms. 321 177· Santa Ana. West fac;:ade. Detail, south 197· Capitanía. Detail, Casa de Moneda, 1733· side bay, lower story. 3 12 Plan drawn by Diego de Porras. 322 178. Santa Isabel, mid-eighteenth century. West 198. Capitanía, 1769. Plan, ground fl.oor. fac;:ade. 313 Drawn by Diez de Navarro in 1755· 322 179· Santa Isabel. West fac;:ade. Detail, south side 199· Capitanía. Plan, second floor of plan bay, lower story. 313 in fig. 198. 323 180. San Jerónimo. Plan of 1767. 314 200. Capitanía. Plan, ground floor. Drawn by 18'1. SanJerónimo. Church, late seventeenth Diez de Navarro in 1769. 323 century. West fac;:ade. 314 201. Capitanía. North fac;:ade, ca. 1876. 324 l 82. San Jerónimo. Door on north side of present ruins. 3l 5 202. Capitanía. North fac;:ade. From Cathedral 183. Seminario Tridentino, ca. 1758. North side. roo( 324 Detail, main door. 315 203. Capita1úa. North fac;:ade. Detail, central 184. Seminario Tridentino. Cloister. Detail, north bays. 325 arcade. 316 204. Capitanía. North fac;:ade. Central bay. 185. Seminario Tridentino. Chapel. Decoration Detail, column, lower story. 325 of window revea!. 316 205. Capitanía. North fac;:ade. Lower corridor 186. Seminario Tridentino. Chapel. Detail, pil- looking west. 326 aster and entablature. 317 206. Capitanía. North fac;:ade. Lower corridor 187. Seminario Tridentino. Chapel. Detail, looking east. 326 ceiling decoration. 317 188. University of San Carlos, ca. 1763 and later. 207. Santísima Trinidad, late eighteenth century. Plan. 318 Nave. Detail, pilaster, clerestory, and arch over crossmg. 327 189. University of San Carlos. Plan. Detail, el o is ter. 3 l 8 208. Jocotenango, seventeenth century and eighteenth century. Church. West fac;:ade. 327 190. University of San Carlos. Exterior, from northeast. 319 209. Jocotenango. West fac;:ade and south side. 328 X:Vlll COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE OF ANTIGUA GUATEMALA

FIG. PAGE FIG. PAGE 210. Jocotenango. West fac;:ade. Detail, north side 213. Beaterio de Indias del Rosario, 1762 and hay, lower story. 328 after 177r. Plan. Drawn by Diez de Na- 21r. Jocotenango. Capilla de la Virgen. West varro in l 762. 33 o fac;:ade. 329 214. Beaterio de Indias. Plan. Drawn in 1788. 330 212. Jocotenango. Capilla de la Virgen. West 215. Cruz de Piedra, 1753· 330 fac;:ade. Detail, central hay, upper part. 329

TABLES

PAGE r. Summary of the Population of Antigua Guatemala 19

2. Spanish Architects, Practical Builders, and Amateur Architects and Builders 56